Málaga will host the first ever FISU World University Padel Championships from 6-11 July.
The Spanish city will welcome student athletes from all over the world, competing in men’s, women’s and mixed categories.
The world championship is being organised by the University of Málaga in collaboration with the International Padel Federation (FIP).
The announcement comes exactly one year after the historic recognition of padel as an official sport by FISU, the International University Sports Federation.
The competition will feature players from universities in 32 countries.
Each delegation may enter up to a maximum of 12 athletes (six men and six women), divided into two men’s pairs, two women’s pairs and two mixed pairs; the latter may be composed of players who are also competing in the men’s and women’s draws.
The world championship will take place on the courts of two centres of excellence located within the University of Málaga campus: the Sport Center Teatinos and Vals Sport Cónsul.
Padel has exploded on the university campuses of the UK over the last few years. The Padel Paper reported in October 2022 on the first padel courts built on a campus (Plymouth Marjon) and in January 2023 on the formation of the first university padel society (in Leeds).
After that, George Modler (later co-founder of The Padel Directory and the UK Padel Convention) organised the UK’s first inter-university padel competition in Bristol, UK PADEL launched the first national Universities Championships in February last year and the National Universities Padel Tennis League (NUPTL) had its inaugural season in 2024/25, co-founded by Fia Tweedie and Barnaby Stephenson of Newcastle and Edinburgh universities respectively.
Further info about the FISU World University Padel Championships can be found on the official website.
